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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22468168">Late Night Games</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BoyzoneTrash/pseuds/BoyzoneTrash'>BoyzoneTrash</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Boyzone (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cuddlez, M/M, Pretzles, video games - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 08:41:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,598</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22468168</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BoyzoneTrash/pseuds/BoyzoneTrash</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ronan wants to beat a video game and Stephen is there to help him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ronan Keating/Stephen Gately</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Late Night Games</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Hey, whatcha playin’?" Stephen asked Ronan, flopping onto the sofa beside his friend. The younger boy was busy playing his current favorite video game, so close to the end that he was determined to finish it before the end of the day. Ro answered his friend, who told him about having already finished the game, so they talked about how much they loved it for a while, Ro continuing to play the whole time. </p>
<p>"You're pretty far along, aren't you?"  Stephen noted. </p>
<p>"Yeah, I really wanna finish it today", Ronan answered.</p>
<p>"I don't know if you'll manage that, I mean it's already kind of late, you sure you wanna stay up till the middle of the night?" The older boy was a little concerned, knowing the rest of the game would probably take around 4 or 5 more hours to finish and it was currently 9PM.</p>
<p>"I think I'll manage", Ro replied, receiving a chuckled "sure you will" as an answer.</p>
<p>For a while Steo just sat next to his friend, watching him invested in the game, but after some time he got up to go to the kitchen, looking for something to eat. </p>
<p>He entered the kitchen, where he encountered Shane and Keith, seemingly also in search of snacks. Shane greeted him, and Keith pulled his head out of the snack cabinet to say hi to his friend. He then disappeared back under the counter, the rustling of packages filling the kitchen again. Keith let out a triumphant noise, before pulling a bunch of pretzels packages out of the cabinet, tossing some to both his friends.</p>
<p>Just then Mikey poked his head into the kitchen, reprimanding his friends for eating unhealthy stuff at 10:something PM - damn, Stephen didn't even notice how much time he spend watching Ronan playing the game - which promptly got him a package of pretzels thrown into his face. The three boys in the kitchen started laughing at the displeased look their oldest friend gave them.</p>
<p>Mikey - still sending daggers Keith’s way - then asked the other two whether they knew when they were supposed to be at the meeting the next evening, which Shane answered, so the oldest thanked him and left the kitchen, shaking his head at his immature friends.</p>
<p>Keith and Shane soon followed Mikey up the stairs to their bedrooms and whished their friend a good night, so Stephen retreated back to the living room. He sat down next to Ronan again - who was still engrossed in the game - and started eating the pretzels he brought from the kitchen.</p>
<p>Ro noticed Stephen return from the kitchen, but payed no attention to him. He distantly heard him opening some sort of packaging, but soon focused back completely on his game. He was doing pretty well, until he reached a mission, which he could not seem to pass. After failing it for the third or fourth time - slowly getting frustrated - he felt something hit his temple. Ronan looked at the couch perplexed, where he found a pretzel lying next to him. Turning his head he spotted Stephen sitting on the opposite side of the coach, a package of pretzels in his hand and laughing at him.</p>
<p>The annoyed look the younger boy threw him only made Steo look harder.  "Don't fail", he teased his friend.</p>
<p>"Not like I'm doing it on purpose!" Ro defended himself, rolling his eyes at his friend, starting the mission back up again.</p>
<p>Stephen watched as his friend failed the mission another time, causing him to throw another pretzel at his head.</p>
<p>"Stop that!" he snapped at his older friend.</p>
<p>"Stop failing", he retorted with a grin. </p>
<p>Ronan kept trying to finish the mission, failing over and over again - getting a pretzel to the face each time - until he got too frustrated and put the controller next to him, letting his head fall back with a whine. He heard his companion chuckle. </p>
<p>"Come on, if you give up you're not gonna finish it! You really suck that much?" he laughed.</p>
<p>"Well, apparently I do, stop being a dick!" the younger boy whined at him.</p>
<p>"Ah, come on, bud, you can do it! Want me to help you?" Stephen suggested.</p>
<p>To that Ronan whined out a "Yes" and Stephen scooted closer to the other boy on the couch, putting the controller in his hand. He then started the mission up another time and this time, with the help of his friend, who gave him a few tips, Ronan managed to succeed, passing the mission with an almost perfect score. Ro then continued on with the game, focusing completely on the screen, not paying any notice to the fact that his friend remained in the spot right next to him instead of scooting back over a bit.</p>
<p>Stephen went back to watching the screen too, but soon felt his attention shifting to his friend sitting next to him. Subconsciously he started starring at him, admiring the concentrated look on his face. He felt himself drawn to the other boy, but was too engrossed in his shifting emotion and the determination in his eyes to notice.</p>
<p>Both of them were unaware of the fact that they kept getting closer and closer to one another, until after approximately half an hour Ronan was leaning on Stephen’s shoulder. He subconsciously put one arm around him and pulled the younger boy into his chest, the smile on his face growing. Being close to each other wasn’t too uncommon for them, which was probably the reason neither of them consciously realized they were soon cuddling on their sofa.</p>
<p>It was getting pretty late now - Stephen noticed when he glanced at the clock showing 12:49 PM. He'd been watching Ro playing the game or a good three hours - though it didn't feel like more than 30 minutes. The game was really nearing its end. Ronan was doing a pretty good job, not seeming to be affected by the fact that the time had already passed midnight. Stephen on the other hand was starting to really have to fight yawns - and how could he not, the comforting heat radiating from the other boy pressed to his chest and side sending him into a hazy state.</p>
<p>Even though he felt tired he stayed in the living room, alternating between watching Ro and the game on the TV screen, one of the boys occasionally commenting on whatever happened in the game. The laughter and conversation kept Stephen in an awake state as he continued to watch for 40 or maybe 50 more minutes, until Ronan finally beat the game for good. As the credits started playing the younger boy  jumped up, dropping the controller on the couch and letting out a muted yell of victory - apparently still mindful of his friends sleeping in their rooms above them.</p>
<p>Stephen smiled looking at the boy, who threw him a huge grin. He handed Ro the controller to turn the console off, which he did, before plopping down on the couch next to him - not as close as they were before, but still less space between them then usually. The two of them started to talk about the game, sharing their opinions about basically every little detail. They laughed together and at each other and had mini debates about a few things they disagreed on. At one point Ronan moved over to playfully punch Stephen for making fun of him - he really didn't drop the topic of the younger boy’s repetitive failure earlier that night - but he was stopped when the older boy wrapped his arms around him to put an end to his assault. Ro decided to roll with it and scooted further into his friend’s arms, making himself comfortable halfway sitting in the other’s lap. </p>
<p>Stephen didn't see that coming and went to let the other boy go, but he held on his arms, pulling them tighter around his body, stating he was warm and comfortable. The older boy's heart did a little flip at their closeness and the other’s wish to remain in his close proximity, but he also couldn't fight the smile spreading on his face as he too made himself more comfortable. They stayed like this and continued debating for a while, after some time Ronan stopped responding. Stephen looked down at him, smiling to himself, noticing his friend had finally fallen asleep. Not wanting to disturb him and feeling the tiredness finally overcoming him, he stroked his hand through his friend’s head, lying his head back down and drifting off to sleep.</p>
<p>The next morning Shane woke and as per usual went down into the kitchen to make breakfast. Passing Stephen’s room, he found the door open - unusual - so he peeked in, finding it empty and the bed made. This was very uncharacteristic for his friend. He would not get up this early after staying up that late the prior evening and he rarely made his bed before breakfast - if ever. But Shane’s confusion was finally cleared up when he opened the door to the living room only to find Steo and Ronan on the sofa - fast asleep and holding on to one another. A small smile spread on his face as he quietly closed the door again, making his way to the kitchen. </p>
<p>Preparing the breakfast he chuckled to himself, thinking the two could be glad he was the one to find them - the other two inhabitants of the house still asleep in their rooms - otherwise they would definitely be blackmailed for a long time. Sometimes Shane wasn't sure why he was so nice.</p>
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